I thinkthat if you really want to know what a person loves,what they value,you should lookat what they photograph.Baby figs.They smell of earth.Like clean dirt.Random simile pairing.But true.When the wind blowsif you’re just in the right spotyou can catch a whiff of it,and WHAM!you’re in heaven.I was getting WHAMMED and WHIFFED when the breeze hit,and I started taking pictures,and look what I discovered. . .the craziest lady bud.No.Seriously.He was crazy.Aren’t lady bugs normally laid back?Ho Read more […]

My husband got a little perturbed with me the other day.”Seriously.” He says. “You went to the Garden Nursery INSTEAD of going to the grocery store?”He was angry in that way nice people get pissed off, annoyed, and totally disappointed in the people they love. Not really yelling, but his tone. . .boy. . .I could hear it in his tone.”We don’t have any food in this house. And I need food for lunch. And the kids need snacks.. . . .” And then he went on from there, but I zoned. out.I was rather ticked Read more […]

So.I had a conversation today, where I said something I shouldn’t have said. And I’m thinking I might try and fix it tomorrow.But!Before I do, I need a trial run. You know. To see if it’s really worth the trouble.THE TRIAL RUNI’ll Say: Hi!She’ll Say: Hey There!I’ll Say: You know yesterday when I called you on the phone?She Say: Yeah.I’ll Say: Well, I got to thinking . . . . .and when I told you to let everyone know what you’re feeling and not to worry about the future, just live for today, Read more […]

Pink and Yellow Lantanas. 6:24 amI slid my feet across the floor until I reached Bella and Soledad’s room.I flicked the lights on, and nuzzled them to wake up.Like always, they didn’t want to get up, so I stayed and pleaded,”Please get up. If you get up and get dressed, when you make it down stairs, you can rest on the couch. OK?””OK.” they say in chorus.I watched as they got dressed.A scratch on Bella’s forehead.A bruise on her thigh.Battle wounds all along her arms and legs.It was a tough fought Read more […]

Dear Mommy ( I call my mom ‘mommy’, sue me.),Sorry. I meant to share this with you last month, but alas time has gotten away from me. These are photos of Phoebe’s first Musical Program, and I thought you’d get a kick out of all of her silly expressions. The first photos are of her getting ready for the big event.I’ll narrate as I post the pics.She poses now. For every. single. picture. Just like her big sister Soledad. Whom she screams at. ALL THE TIME. Yet, she acts just like her. I know. I know. Read more […]

I’m always dreaming up things that I want to do.Sometimes I don’t have the time.And. . . .Sometimes I don’t have the money.But lately, I’ve been thinking, WHY, WHY, WHY???Surely you jest.For if thou havest these thoughts for which I am most dubiously inclined, then SISTER, DEAREST Friend, in thy most patient virtue there must be a way for my will to be done.And then I say to myself.”Why are you talking like that.You crazy nut job.But. . .You do have a rather interesting take on the situation.Why Read more […]

She sat in her seat wiggling. She shifted from side to side swinging her legs and kicking the seat in front of her. The backs of her legs were sticking to the plastic seat, and the heat from the humid air resulted in tiny drops of dew on the tip of her nose.As the breaks on the bus begin their unpleasant cry, “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee……” she grabbed her backpack and scurried off the bus, nearly tripping on the steps as she flew down them.Her feet hit the concrete.Her trot, broke out into a full Read more […]

Hi. It’s me again.I’m having a bit of a day.My dog decided to climb up on the coffee table and make a boo boo.Not as in hurt himself.A crap crap.As in crapped on the table on top of the clothes that I was going to finish folding.On another note, Lucky (my dog) has been hopping onto the kitchen table chairs THAT MY CHILDREN REFUSE TO PUSH IN AFTER THEY HAVE EATEN, and he has been eating their dinners straight off their plates.Not good.ESPECIALLY since he is on a new vegetarian dog food diet that Read more […]

[Winner to the Lawry’s Prize Pack and Rachael Ray Cookware Announced Below]Gardening is a lot like raising kids.It seems like a really great idea.You get super excited, and spend lots of money.Find spots in your life to plant, sow and reap.And you do.And it looks lovely. And the plants grow, and somehow you missed how they turned into big huge plants.Because there were so many darn weeds.Grass weeds.Clover weeds.And flower weeds, that were really quite pretty, but had to go because they weren’t in Read more […]

﻿ I waited in line at the DMV for 45 minutes to renew my drivers license. I was by myself. I chewed a piece of gum and didn’t share. .. .and. . .I read a book. It was nice.﻿ While I was at the DMV, Lucky peed on the floor and rolled in it. Warwick said he didn’t smell, but he did. So I gave him a bath and he stood moderately still. We ate SUSHI for lunch!!!! Nobody ever wants to eat Sushi with me, but on my birthday. . .not one single complaint:)We early voted. I love pretending that I’m republican Read more […]

Hi! I’m Nicole. And I like food A LOT. I dream about it, write about it, and I relate everything in my life to it. Here you’ll find stories about my four darling girls Shelbi (17), Bella (13), Soledad (11) And Phoebe (8), and how they relate to pasta, eggplant, and chocolate. I have a husband too. He’s a rockstar. Not actually. Just in my heart, that is made of Jello. See, I told you. It all relates.